Summertime in Chicago is always a blast, especially when the Chicago Air and Water Show is going on. Taking place every summer at North Avenue Beach, there are always immense crowds for the show (often over 1.5 million), so to avoid hassle it makes sense to book Chicago Air and Water Show parking ahead of time. The Air and Water Show consists of displays of stunts, aeronautical maneuvers, flybys and coordinated activities, using both military and civilian aircraft.

The story of the Chicago Air & Water Show began in 1959 as a component of a “family day” for a children’s camp. It took place at Chicago Avenue and Lake Michigan, with the approval of the Chicago Park District Supervisor at Lakeshore Park, Al Benedict. The entire event cost less than $100, and made use of a Coast Guard Air Sea Rescue team. The event got much larger the next year, as the USAF Thunderbirds and the US Army’s Golden Knights Parachute Team got involved. Due to the rapid annual attendance growth, the air show moved to North Avenue Beach, the current location. The setup got more and more elaborate, such that the show now has its own air traffic controller to supervise the area.

One of the best perks about the event is that it is free for anyone to come and enjoy! The daredevils and their stunts are visible from afar, especially along the lakefront. The event is focused on safety, such that all the stunts occur over a controlled area of Lake Michigan, so that any unexpected problems would occur far from spectators. The US Army Golden Knights, USAF Thunderbirds and the US Navy Blue Angels often headline the spectacle, along with civilian teams, often sponsored by Red Bull, Oracle and other corporations. As visitors to the airshow likely have children with them that can get impatient with delays, it makes sense to have as stress-free a visit as possible by booking a Chicago Air and Water Show parking space ahead of time with ParkWhiz.

ParkWhiz is easy to use; all you need to do is find nearby Air and Water Show Chicago parking facilities on ParkWhiz, book your Chicago Air & Water Show parking spot, print out your ParkWhiz parking pass or show your mobile pass on your smartphone to parking staff and enjoy the air show!